Toy aeroplane



w. H. DUNN. A TOY AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20. I920.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

ITLVEHIUP' William H Dunn AIIUPTLE '5 y 1,374,000.` f` A UNITEDSTATss PATENT orties.

`W'IILIAM` HOBARD DUNN, OFCHCAGO, ILLINOIS.

specification of Letters Patent. .u

'roY Annemans.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed september 20,1920. sentirne. 411,462.

T 0 all 'wit-0m t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM II. DUNN, a` citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Coolrand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'loy Aeroplanes, of

which the followinor is a specification.

This invention re atesto improvements in toy aeroplanes, which are manually propelled through the air.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a toy aeroplane which is substantially similar in c'onstruction to conventional aeroplanes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy aeroplane or glider which is so constructed `and balanced, as to travel a considerable distance upon being hurled through the air.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy aeroplane of the above described character which can be folded into a compact position and readily assem* bled in such manner that its Planes or wings will be rigidly braced with `respect to the body or fuselage. A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy aeroplane of the above described character which is primarily adapted to be propelled by an operatorin such mannerthat it will return to substantially the same place Vfrom which it was started.

`Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of proved aeroplane.

the imment of my invention, the numeral 1 0 designates the body or fuselage of theaeroplane, which is preferably formed of cardboard, Celluloid or some similar material. In the construction of the aeroplane, it is preferred that the entire structure be stamped or cut from a single piece in such manner that it can be folded to simulate the appearance of a monoplane. The cardboard or similar ma? terial may be folded upon the edge 11 which ordinarily would be designated as the bottom of the fuselage, the forward or supporting wings12 are preferably integral with 4and foldable upon the upper edge of the eX- tension 13 provided upon the fuselage body. The tail 'planes 14 are constructed in a similar manner upon the rear of the fuselage and comprise the empennage of the ordinary airplane construction.` t

It is preferred that the fuselage have an extended portion 15 which projects forwardly of the supporting wings or planes 12, the extension 15 being tapered forwardly to provide a head 16 containing an apart ment 17 for the reception of a weighted disk 18 or similar device.

The supporting planes 12 mounted forwardly of the fuselage 10 are provided with the curved edges 19 which terminate in a point 20 in order to lessen the wind resistance. In orderto provide a greater air bearing surface the extensions 21 are pro` vided upon thewings 12 and rearwardly thereof. `The wings 12 moreover, are provided with pockets or slots into which a bracing rod 22 is adapted to lit to support the planes 12in an assembled flying position. t y

The tail planes 14 are constructed in a manner similar to the supporting planes 12 with the exception of being smaller, and

have the slanting forward sides 25 and curved `edges 26 to lessen the wind resistance. It is to be observed in the construcl tion or stamping out of these planes that when assembled in flying, or upright posi-` tion, a portion 27 of the fuselage projects upwardly from the rearof the tail planes 14 which assist materially in the guiding ofthe aeroplane." The tail planes 14 are supported either in their folded or flying positions by strips of flexible wire 28 which are glued or otherwise attached to the fuselage and the tail planes 14, and will support the planes in a position to which the wire strips 28 are manually bent. The fuselage body is braced longitudinally by a wire bracing strip 29 which is placed intermediate the sides of the fuselage, and adjacent the edge 11, and extends forwardly to provide a loop 30 for engaging about the weighted disk 18. vIt is at once apparent that this bracing means will aid materially in the life of the aeroplane toy since it will prevent bending and battering thereof when the nose 16 strikes the earth.

An aperture 31 is provided in the fuselage or body 10 at approximately the center of gravity of the aeroplane and receives therein a cable 32, of flexible wire or rope havinga knotted end 33.

The aeroplane-toy can readily be thrown into the air by grasping the fuselage between the fingers and propelling it forwardly with the nose 16 pointed forward. However, it is to be noted that a throwing rod 35 is provided having a handle 36 thereon, and a slotted end 37, which slotted end is'adapted tov receive the cable 32. When the throwing stick 35 is employed, the cable 32 engages within the slot 37 until the knotted end lies adjacent the side of the .throwing rod and the operator then twirls the toy over his head and hurls it into the air with great velocity.A Bue to the circular motion which the operator has given the toy and to the manner in which the wings are banked, the aeroplane will curve in such manner as to return Vto approximately the same position from which the operator placed it in flight. ln order to fold the aeroplane into such a position that the wings lie in the same plane as the fuselage, the bracing rod 22 is moved within the pockets of the wings 12 so that an end projects from one of the pockets and the wings can be bent downwardly. On the other hand, the rear planes 1a are bent upwardly as is clearly shown in F ig. 3 of the drawings in such manner that the wire bands 28 will maintain them in that position. lt is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. ln a toy aeroplane, the combination, of a fuselage, an over-hanging plane mounted forwardly upon the fuselage, a tail plane mounted rearwardly upon the fuselage, detaehable means for-maintaining said overhanging plane in rigid position, and means for adjustably positioning said tail plane at any predetermined angle with respect t0 the fuselage.

2. In a toy aeroplane, the combination, of a fuselage, an overhanging plane foldably mounted upon said fuselage having pockets therein, and a detachable rod adapted to lit within said pockets for bracing the plane in flying position.

3. In a toy aeroplane, the combination` of a fuselage, an overhanging plane foldably mounted upon said fuselage having pockets therein, a rod adapted to lit-within said pockets for bracing the plane in flying position, a tail plane mounted rearwardly upon said fuselage, and flexible wire braces foldably connecting said tail planes to the fuselage for holding the same in a fixed position.

1. ln a toy aeroplane, the combination of a fuselage comprising a relatively flat strip, wings mounted upon said fuselage. a longitudinal bracing member arranged in said fuselage, and a reighted disk disposed in said fuselage forwardly of said wings, said fuselage bracing member encircling said disk.

5. In a toy aeroplane, the combination of a fuselage, an oii'erhanging plane foldably mounted upon said fuselage having pockets therein, rod adapted to lit within said pockets for bracing the plane in flying position, a tail plane mounted reamuirdly upon said fuselage, and `flexible wire braces foldably connecting said tail plane to the fuselage for holding the same in a fixed position, a longitudinal bracing member arranged in said fuselage, and a weighted disk disposed in said fuselage forwardly.' of said wings, said fuelage bracing member encircling said disk.

6. ln a toy aeri'iplanc, the combination of a fuselage, supporting wings, a flexible cable securely mounted upon said fuselage. at the center of graa'ity of said aeroplane, and means for detachably engaging the free end of said cable to manually hurl the aeroplane Jthrough the air.

7. In a folding toy aeroplane. the combination, of a fuselage and folding wings, said fuselage and wings being integral and struck from a single piece of material, means rigidly maintaining said plane wings in a flying position, said wings capable of being folded upon the fuselage to place the same in substantially the saine plane thereupon.

lVlLLIAlil HOBRD DUNN. 

